Thread by @kazweida

This #SundayMorning we're tracking 2,000 migrant children separated from parents.

BP doesn't have them. DHS doesn't have them.
Where are they?

Many are in camps or centers. But some are in foster care & alarmingly, at Christian adoption agencies.
#WhereAreTheChildren

(THREAD)

(2) One of the truly horrifying things has been the lack of records associated with the zero-tolerance policy. There's been little effort to track children separated from parents & former HHS officials warned that separations might be permanent.

nbcnews.com/storyline/immi…

(3) This looks a lot like genocide. The systematic removal of children from a group is part of the UN definition of ethnic cleansing & it's been used to eradicate what some considered "inferior" races.

It's why activists are focused on reunification.
theguardian.com/us-news/2018/j…

(4) Hearing that children are being farmed out to Christian adoption agencies is ringing all sorts of bells. One of the agencies that has been in the crosshairs is Bethany Christian Services in Michigan who appear to have taken in several dozen children.

mlive.com/news/index.ssf…

(5) Bethany has been the subject of scrutiny before, not only for their support of conversion therapy and anti-LGBTQ policies but also because, like other Evangelical adoption agencies, they seem to skirt the line of ethical adoption practices.

thenation.com/article/evange…

(6) Bethany has been publicizing that their focus and intent is to reunify children in their care with parents, but there's been skepticism. Bethany appears to benefit from donations from the DeVos family alongside grants from the government.

bethany.org/campaigns/refu…

(7) As @C_Stroop pointed out in his recent article, this wouldn't be the first time Evangelicals have attempted to use religious adoption agencies to alienate babies from their cultural heritage and recruit them as "warriors for Christ."

playboy.com/read/the-book-…

(8) Another concerning tidbit is Bethany's Vice President is Brian DeVos, but the family connection is unclear. Some internet sleuths say he's a distant relative (second cousin) but there's no proof of a direct family connection to the adoption agency.

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(9) Setting aside questionable DeVos family connections, another snag prevents these agencies from adopting out refugee children separated from their parents. There are some laws on the books barring adopting from Latin American countries.

mljadoptions.com/blog/adopting-…

(10) HHS new plan to reunify the 2,053 children who have been separated from their parents details that after a parent's court hearing, children will be reunited BEFORE deportation or, for parents released on bond, AFTER they've applied to be a sponsor.

cnn.com/2018/06/23/pol…

(11) There's reason to believe this will not proceed as planned. Children have been given to a web of agencies across the US & parents have no way to track their children.

Immigration judges have expressed outrage at what they see in court.

pbs.org/newshour/show/…

(12) So what can we do? We must keep watch and continue to push for accountability. As @MichaelAvenatti has pointed out, the lack of a clear tracking system calls into question the government claim that they know where these children are. They don't.

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(13) @Alyssa_Milano is crowdsourcing the location of children, as is the Washington Post. It will be a long process, but it's one we can't trust to DHS or HHS. You can also continue to donate to @RAICESTEXAS to help get parents out on bond sooner.

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(14) As you can see, some of these children can't wait for months to be reunited with their parents. These little ones being shipped to tent cities and strangers in foster homes may be permanently separated from their families. They need our help NOW.

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(15) Thanks to @YvetteKopp and @sandycompany for the Sunday thread suggestion. Keep fighting the good fight and we'll be back next week with more.

#WhereAreTheChildren #FamiliesBelongTogether

(16) I'm going to add this last clarification to this thread. I have NOT seen proof that any of these children placed through adoption agencies are being trafficked or hidden.

While we need to stay vigilant, let's stick to facts. And get these kids reunited with their families.